Friday, 3/18/16: Laying Out Unit 4 Threads

Unit 4 involves congruence, similarity, and angle relationships--all tied together through the thread of transformational geometry (translations, reflections, rotations, and dilations).  It also involves the Pythagorean theorem and volume of cones, spheres, and pyramids.  Having successfully completed Unit 3 on quadratic equations and functions, and exponential functions, we've had several days to lay out these "threads" of thought which interconnect.  I have to make sure that the students understand the basic concepts and vocabulary here, but we're moving quickly.

While the music students are in Boston I am going to use the week of 3/29 to review 8th grade standards.  I will be speaking with the Boston attendees when they return about this material to be practiced; unfortunately I did not have time to set this up before the trip.  No formal work is assigned during the break, but know that this is the structure for Unit 4:

• transformations & similarity (Module 10)
• Pythagorean theorem (Module 12)
• volume (Module 13)
• transformations and congruence (Module 9)

FOR EWMSIMP STUDENTS SEIZING THE TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN BOSTON:

Cal High distributed their registration materials to students Thursday, 3/17.  (I've heard that La Serna's materials have also been mailed out.)  The "Course Selection Form" (the blue sheet for Cal High; traditionally Whittier's has been gold in color, and La Serna's pink) and the "Enrollment Form" (parents are enrolling their students into a new school district for next year, the Whittier Union High School District) are due back at the Future Frosh Night (student / parent meeting at the high school) Thursday, 3/31; or if the parents cannot attend, to Cal High's Guidance office the following day, Friday, 4/1.  This is while the students are in Boston.  We are likely to have the same situation with Whittier High School and La Serna High School.
Accordingly:

For parents not accompanying the trip:  they can still attend the 3/31 parent meeting and turn in the two forms that night.  Alternately, a relative or family friend can attend and turn in the form.  If parents are not chaperoning the Boston trip, then they must take responsibility to return the forms to Cal High's Guidance Office by Friday, 4/1.  (The same would apply to Whittier and La Serna, whatever their instructions are.)

For parents who are accompanying the Boston trip or who are otherwise out of town the entire week of 3/28:

• Best scenario:  have a relative or family friend turn in the forms for you.
• Alternately, students can give the two forms to Mrs. Carnahan at next Tuesday morning's rehearsal.  She will forward the forms to me.  I will drive the forms over to the high school the week after spring break, so that they are delivered on time.  I am ONLY doing this as a courtesy for parents accompanying the Boston trip or who are otherwise out-of-town the whole week of 3/28.  I will not take on the responsibility for any high school forms, EXCEPT in this circumstance.